Nine of those killed in Delhi riots were forced to chant 'Jai Shri Ram', police tells court

Some of the rioters used a WhatsApp group to coordinate with each other during north-east Delhi riots in February and killed nine Muslims after they refused to chant 'Jai Shri Ram', Delhi police has alleged in its charge sheets filed in a court here.

The accused were part of a WhatsApp group -- Kattar Hindut Ekta -- that was created on February 25 to take “revenge” on Muslims, the charge sheets said, adding that they used it to coordinate with each other and provide, men, arms and ammunition to each other.

The creator of the WhatsApp group is still absconding, police said in the charge sheets.

“'Kattar Hindut Ekta' group was created on February 25 at 12.49 Hrs. Initially, there were 125 members in this group, out of these 125; total 47 had exited the group by March 8,” it said.

The charge sheets were filed before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Kumar Gautam on June 29 for the alleged bludgeoning of nine people -- Hamza, Aamin, Bhure Ali, Mursalin, Aas Mohd, Musharraf, Akil Ahmed, and Hashim Ali and his elder brother Aamir Khan -- to death.

“During the investigation, it has been established that a group of Hindus comprising of accused persons - Jatin Sharma, Rishabh Chaudhary, Vivek Panchal, Lokesh Solanki, Pankaj Sharma, Prince, Sumit Chaudhary, Ankit Chaudhary and Himanshu Thakur, along with other identified and unidentified rioters - became active in Ganga Vihar/ Bhagirathi Vihar area since the morning of February 25 to 26 midnight and bludgeoned nine Muslim persons to death and injured several persons in Bhagirathi Vihar and another area,” police said in the charge sheet.

The final report further said, “It shows that they were actively involved in rioting and attacking other community people belonging to different religion i.e. Muslim and during riots, they killed many people by attacking them.”

“Their modus operandi was, they used to catch the people and ascertain their religion by asking name, address and by their document i.e. Identity Card and they were forcing them to call 'Jai Shri Ram' many times.

“The person who was not calling 'Jai Shri Ram' and carrying the identity of Muslim identity, they were bluntly attacked and thrown into the Main Ganda Nala (dirty drain), Bhagirathi Vihar, Delhi,” it said.

The court has put up the matter for consideration on July 13.

According to the police report , one of the accused, Lokesh Solanki, on February 25, messaged in the WhatsApp group: “Brother Lokesh Solanki this side from Ganga Vihar area if any Hindu need any back up then do contact. We have men, arms and ammunitions. I have just killed two Muslims in Bhagirathi Vihar area and thrown them in the drain with the help of my team.”

In the first case, on February 26, one Hamza was killed by the rioters while he was coming from Mustafabad to Bhagirathi Vihar about 9.15 PM, police said.

He was then thrown in sewage near E Block Bhagirathi Vihar. An FIR was lodged in this regard at Gokalpuri police station, in North East Delhi on March 3, it said.

In the second case, one Aamin was killed and thrown into sewage on February 25 by the rioters near C Block Bhagirathi Vihar.

In the third case, one Bhure Ali was killed near C block Bhagirathi Vihar on February 26.

On February 25, between 4-4.30 PM, one Mursalin was killed and thrown in Bhagirathi Vihar Nala (drain) in Johripuri puliya (bridge) and his scooter was set on fire.

Police said on February 25, at about 7 to 7.30 PM, deceased Aas Mohd was killed by the rioters and thrown in a drain in Bhagirathi Vihar/Johripur pulia (bridge).

On the same day at about 8 PM, police said rioters cut the electricity and in the dark, they attacked the house of Musharraf, grabbed him and dragged him out into the street and they beat him to death and threw him in the open drain.

Later on February 26, at about 9.30 PM, one Akil Ahmed was killed by the rioters, police said and added that on the same day, at about 9.40 PM, one Hashim Ali and his elder brother Aamir Khan was killed by the rioters.